degrees for scottish students studying in Scotland are not free!

As a Scottish domiciled student who studies in Scotland I am so tired of the Scottish government misleading people that degree are free here. I believe this is manipulative and is only done so they can achieve their main agenda. The main reason their claim is so misleading is scottish degrees are 4 years long which is 25% longer than english degrees (for exactly the same qualification!) and that the most difficult part of funding which is living costs, as in England had to be met with a loan and/or a combination of money from parents, savings or part time work. Also if you do a second degree in Scotland you do have to pay fees. More about that later.

I have done the calculations and it costs about the same for scottish students to do a degree here as it costs for english students to do a degree ( in England). Here they are:

England
fees 3years at £9000 pa =£27000
living costs 3 years at £12000 pa = £36000
Total = £63000

Scotland
fees (for a 1st degree) £0
living costs 4 years at £48000
loss of 1 years earnings working full time at minimum wage £15000
Total = £63000

A second degree in scotland is slightly easier to do because the upfront fees are only £2000 pa not about £9000 but still totally impossible to do because you would only be able to get a living costs loan so that doesn't help.

If the scottish government were really competent and cared about sorting out the problems in our education system rather than scoring points and making themselves look so 'progressive' they could start with sorting out the empty and superfluous 6th year at school.

Reply 1

ajj2000

Original post by minnieandmilly

A second degree in scotland is slightly easier to do because the upfront fees are only £2000 pa not about £9000 but still totally impossible to do because you would only be able to get a living costs loan so that doesn't help.

Why is paying £2000 pa to do a second degree so impossible? With a job you should be able to save £8,000 over a few years if desperate for a career change.

Reply 2

tyson69

that £15000 loss from 1 year working will be spent on living expenses so actually it is not as much

Reply 3

minnieandmilly

Original post by ajj2000

Why is paying £2000 pa to do a second degree so impossible? With a job you should be able to save £8,000 over a few years if desperate for a career change.

I don't want to do a second degree myself. But to do a second degree it would still cost a total of about £ 56000. Even if you could save £ 8000 that is still money you would have to spend and also if you couldn't you would have to pay the fess with your living cost loan leaving you with about £4000 a year to live on For most people ( and I know a few people who have tried) it really is unfeasible.

Reply 4

minnieandmilly

Original post by tyson69

that £15000 loss from 1 year working will be spent on living expenses so actually it is not as much

Any extra year spent in education and not earning means a loss of earnings. If you lived with your parents at practically no cost as many new graduates do that money will go straight in your bank account. If you spent 10 years in full time education you lose 10 years of potential earnings. Of course it counts!

Reply 5

tyson69

Original post by minnieandmilly

i dont know if so many people live with their parents after graduating

Reply 6

DJKL

Original post by minnieandmilly

Tax and NI will reduce it slightly, tax will be £700, NI £820, so drop your number £1,520, you only get to keep £13,480 from the £15,000.

Also even parents sometimes want rent or contribution to household bills.

Reply 7

ajj2000

Original post by minnieandmilly

I dont see how your calculations work? You would need to pay fees and cover living costs. Loss of income is an opportunity cost only. Plenty of people wish they could retrain. If living with parents or a partner at nil cost is possible they may have the chance in Scotland - much harder in England.